Tumor acquisition, propagation, and preservation. The culture of human colorectal cancer

Abstract

Fourteen new colorectal cancer cell lines were developed as part of a tumor acquisition, propagation, and preservation program for biotherapy. Fifty‐six specimens were received. Nine cell lines were generated from biopsies; seven of these cell lines were from metastatic lesions. Five additional cell lines were developed from xenografts grown in nude mice. Biopsies that produced three of these xenografts gave rise to parallel culture cell lines. Biopsy‐derived and xenograft‐derived cell lines from the same tumor behaved similarly in culture and exhibited similar markers when assessed immunohistochemically. Collagen substrate was beneficial in the primary culture of 50% of the specimens tested. Collagen was required for the successful propagation of two cell lines.